Detection system and method of detecting corrosion under an outer protective layer

ABSTRACT

Incoherent millimetre wave, sub-millimetre wave and terahertz test signals are used to probe metal substrates covered by a protective coating or outer layer, such as paint or thermal insulation, obscuring direct assessment of the substrate. The incoherent test signals, provide signal dispersion and angular variation of the test signals with respect to angular incidence to the substrate. Illumination of the substrate permits differentiation between un-corroded and corroded sections of the sample because reflectivity (and emissivity) from a metal-based substrate is heavily dependent on the surface resistivity which is dependent on the corroded state. A detector/camera is arranged to pick up reflections from the substrate and an associated control system identifies regions of the sample that reflect the test signal illumination differently or otherwise indicate a variation from a reference value. The differences therefore signify the presence or lack of corrosion or other abnormalities within or on the substrate.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/770,159, filed on Aug. 25, 2015, which is a 371 of InternationalApplication No. PCT/EP2013/069746, filed Sep. 3, 2013, and also claimspriority to GB Application No. 1303324.6, filed on Feb. 25, 2013, all ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates, in general, to detection systems and isparticularly, but not exclusively, applicable to detectors (anddetection system methodologies) that operate to assess levels ofcorrosion under outer protective layers or coatings, such as paint,insulation, fireproof cladding or anti-corrosion protective coatings,applied on or over a surface, such as a pipe or wall.

SUMMARY OF THE PRIOR ART

The detection and identification of structural anomalies andimperfections (including cracks and fractures, penetrations, porosityvariations, corrosion, disbanding and delamination) in substrates isimportant for quality control, preventative maintenance and especiallysafety considerations. In this context, the substrate can define thestructure of a pipe, panel or frame and may be made from a number ofknown materials, including metal or composite materials. Once in situ,the mechanical structures formed from such substrates are subjected to avariety of environments and/or differing pressures applied internallywithin or externally to the substrate. For example, general load-bearingcan produce bending moments that induce stresses within the substrate.Furthermore, these environments can be chemically corrosive ormechanically abrasive.

In terms of negative outcomes, if we consider a pipe in a chemicalfactory or an oil pipeline running across a desert, rupturing of such apipe would shut the entire system down and has environmental and safetyimpact. More specifically, escaping liquid, such as oil, must be cleanedup and disposed of in a safe fashion, whilst rapid high pressure releaseof a pressurised liquid travelling in a pipe could result infragmentation of pipe and, consequently, the generation of high-velocityprojectiles from the splintered pipe substrate. Regular maintenance, orpredictive maintenance, is therefore essential.

Many aircraft airframes now use composite materials on criticalcomponents such as wings and ailerons. These materials are extremelystrong provided their structural integrity remains intact, but any crackor delamination can lead to rapid loss of stiffness and may result incatastrophic failure. Regular airframe inspection for air worthinessassessment is therefore critical across significant areas of a plane,with the substrate providing strength to the airframe generally coveredby paint that obscures direct inspection.

Once deployed in the field, the cost of assessment and the length oftime required for performing the assessment increase simply because ofthe physical inaccessibility of the part under investigation. In otherwords, visual or mechanical inspection is difficult simply because ofrestricted access.

Furthermore, the substrate under investigation is frequently covered bya protective coating or insulating layer applied (typically) at thepoint of final manufacture or otherwise after assembly in the field. Anycovering curtails direct visual assessment, and any covering or coatinghas hitherto required the use of expensive and accurately locatedevaluation equipment. Proactive maintenance therefore has a relativelyhigh cost because an assessment of corrosion under insulation (“CUI”) orcorrosion under paint (“CUP”) or corrosion under coatings (“CUC”)requires an active peeling back or outright removal of the insulatingmaterial or paint to conduct a visual or other quantitative inspectionof the substrate, whereafter a new protective coating or layer must beproperly and securely reapplied. Removal and reapplication of anycoating or layer therefore has a cost, with any removal processproviding further potential for damaging the substrate. Situations can,in fact, occur where removal of the protective coating and layer revealsa pipe in an acceptable mechanically-stable condition. In this case, thecost for evaluating the substrate for signs of wear or corrosion couldhave been avoided since no remedial action would have been necessary.

As an example of a protective coating, Chartek® 7 is a high performanceepoxy intumescent fire protection coating system applied to steel,aluminium and other substrates to protect those substrates from theeffects of hydrocarbon pool and jet fires. Chartek® 7 is endorsed bymany commercial insurers, and is primarily intended for use in high riskenvironments, such as oil, gas, petrochemical and power generationindustries and shipping. FoamGlas® is another form ofinsulative/protective covering (seehttp://www.industry.foamglas.com/_/frontend/handler/document.php?id=303&type=42).

GB-A-2398946 (QinetiQ) describes the use of microwave radar detectionfor surface discontinuities, particularly in the surface of a railwaytrack. A millimetre wave radar system is provided to transmit shortpulses of millimetre wave radiation towards the surface under test. Ifthe surface has no flaws or defects, most of the transmitted radiationis reflected in an expected direction. At least one receive antenna isprovided to detect whether any transmitted radiation has been scatteredfrom a defect in the surface in a direction other than that of theexpected reflection direction. The transmit antenna may also operate asthe receive antenna i.e. monostatic, however a bi-static arrangementhaving separate transmit and receive antennas is preferred. More thanone receive antenna may be used to inspect the rail from differentangles to provide increased sensitivity and to help in determining thetype of defect. The polarisation properties of the scattered radiationmay be used in providing information about the type of defect. A furtherreceive antenna may be additionally or alternatively provided in theexpected reflection direction to detect a drop in power of the receivedsignal when a defect occurs.

US 2005/0098728—Alfano provides a system and method fornon-destructively detecting material abnormalities beneath a coatedsurface. A terahertz (THz) illumination unit illuminates an area of thecoated surface. A detection unit detects light reflected from theilluminated area of the coated surface, and a processing unit images theilluminated area of the coated surface from optical characteristicsreceived from the detection unit. Alfano therefore suggests that mostprotective paints and coatings are transparent in these wavebands, socorrosion is detectable (in the sense that it can be illuminated andthus observed at particular wavelengths) through paint or many otherprotective coatings.

Alfano '728 and QinetiQ '946, however, both rely on the sample underinvestigation to be held at a set distance and orientation from theobserving apparatus. More specifically, these prior art systems rely onalong axis, line-of-sight or orthogonal illumination from a highlydirectional source. This illumination approach introduces problems dueto specular reflection from the surface, and requires the inspectionapparatus (or the sample) to be repositioned at each measurement point.The requirement for detector orientation and/or sample placement imposessevere constraints on the practical implementation of their techniquesin real world environments, particularly those found outdoors onbridges, oil platforms and the like where corrosion presents asignificant problem. Furthermore, the systems of Alfano '728 and QinetiQ'946 rely on illumination of the sample with directional, coherentmillimetre wave, sub-millimetre wave or terahertz frequency sources. Thecoherent source provides an ability to assess phase in the reflectedwaves, whereas a non-aligned source is considered problematic from theperspective of feature resolution.

Approaches such as taught in Alfano '728 and QinetiQ '946 rely oncareful alignment with the sample and the need to spin, i.e. rotate orreposition, either the inspection system and or the sample under test inorder to effectively scan the sample and/or recover (i.e. receive)sufficient data for analysis. Sample or detector rotation both result insignificant apparatus complexity and increased cost, with rotationfurthermore reducing the speed of assessment. The prior art systems ofAlfano '728 and QinetiQ '946 can therefore be considered aslaboratory-based executions because their construction makes in situsubstrate inspection very difficult, if not impossible, but at leasthighly impractical. In addition, the use of a powerful artificialcoherent source only recovers the reflectivity component of the objectspositioned within the scene and so any misalignment or variation of thesurface texture of the sample can be misinterpreted as a reflectivityvariation even for surfaces free of corrosion, i.e. the systems aresubject to a false trigger.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided amethod of detecting the presence of anomalies in or on a substratecovered by a protective coating or layer, the method comprising:observing reflectivity from the substrate arising from incidentelectromagnetic waves produced from wide-angled illumination from afirst incoherent source, the incident electromagnetic waves havingmillimetre or sub-millimetre wavelengths or having a frequency belowabout thirty terahertz; identifying the presence of anomalies in thesubstrate by at least one of: contrasting observed reflectivity inadjacent areas of the substrate; and contrasting observed reflectivityof an area of the substrate under test against a reference reflectivityvalue anticipated for the area of the substrate under test.

In a preferred embodiment, the first incoherent source is a passivesource and the method further comprises: observing reflectivity from thesubstrate arising from incident electromagnetic waves produced fromwide-angled illumination from an incoherent active source that isdifferent to the first incoherent passive source, the incidentelectromagnetic waves from the incoherent active source havingmillimetre or sub-millimetre wavelengths or having a frequency belowabout thirty terahertz; identifying the presence of anomalies in thesubstrate by contrasting spectral reflectivity profiles observed fromthe passive source and the active source.

The assessment of structural integrity of a layer on, or coatingcovering, the substrate may occur by evaluating transmissivity throughthe layer or coating, the evaluation contrasting differences in thespectral reflectivity profiles observed using the passive source and theactive source; and through the step of generating an output in the eventthat the transmissivity between the observed spectral reflectivityprofiles from the passive source and the active source exceeds athreshold.

A preferred method may determine emissivity from the substrate at twodifferent temperatures to assess whether a change in emissivity hasoccurred between the two different temperatures, with the determinationcausing generation of an output in the event that the change inemissivity exceeds a predetermined threshold, the output indicating thepresence of at an anomaly in or on the substrate.

In a second aspect of the invention there is provided a corrosiondetection system for identifying corrosion under a layer or coating, thecorrosion detection system comprising: an imaging system including adetector configured to detect, in use, reflectivity from a substrateunder test, said reflectivity arising from illumination of the substrateby an incoherent, wide-angled source of electromagnetic waves having afrequency in the range of between about thirty gigahertz and aboutthirty terahertz; and a processor-based evaluation system responsive tothe imaging system, the processor based evaluation system configured topresent an indication of a difference in detected reflectivity betweenat least one of: reflectivity evaluated from a plurality of differentareas of the substrate, whereby differences in reflectivity indicatecorrosion; and observed reflectivity of an area of the substrate undertest against a reference reflectivity value anticipated for the area ofthe substrate under test, whereby the difference in observedreflectivity relative to the reference reflectivity indicates corrosion.

Preferably, the imaging system is configured to observe reflectivitywithin at least one of the frequency bands that are transparent toatmospheric water and atmospheric oxygen:

In a further aspect of the invention there is provided a detectionsystem identifying structural anomalies in a substrate covered by alayer or coating, the detection system comprising: an imaging systemincluding a detector configured to receive and detect, in use,reflectivity from a substrate under test, said reflectivity arising fromillumination of the substrate by an incoherent, wide-angled source ofelectromagnetic waves, the configured to observe reflectivity withinfrequency bands that are transparent with respect to atmospheric waterand atmospheric oxygen; and a processor-based evaluation systemresponsive to the imaging system, the processor based evaluation systemconfigured to present an indication of a difference in detectedreflectivity between at least one of: reflectivity evaluated from aplurality of different areas of the substrate, whereby the difference inreflectivity indicates an anomaly; and observed reflectivity of an areaof the substrate under test against a reference reflectivity valueanticipated for the area of the substrate under test, whereby thedifference in observed reflectivity relative to the referencereflectivity indicates an anomaly.

An active incoherent noise source may provide, in use, selectivewide-angled illumination of the substrate under investigation, theactive incoherent noise source generating at least one of (i) millimetrewavelengths, (ii) sub-millimetre wavelengths and (iii) micron wavelengthhaving a frequency below about thirty terahertz.

In a particular embodiment the processor-based evaluation system isconfigured to: contrast relative levels of reflectivity from thesubstrate as produced by said active incoherent noise source and saidpassive source; and generate an indication of the presence of an anomalyin the substrate in the event that the contrast of measureableparameters for evaluated reflectivity under the active and passivesources yields a difference that exceeds a predetermined threshold.

The processor-based evaluation system may be further configured toprovide an indication of confidence in structural integrity of a layeron, or coating covering, the substrate under test, the indication basedon evaluating transmissivity through the layer or coating, theevaluation contrasting differences in the spectral reflectivity profilesobserved using the passive source and the active source.

In yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a detectionsystem identifying structural anomalies in a substrate covered by alayer or coating, the detection system comprising: an imaging systemincluding a detector configured to receive and detect, in use,electromagnetic frequencies emanating from a substrate under test, saiddetector configured to observe electromagnetic frequencies within arange between about 30 GHz and 30 THz; and a processor-based evaluationsystem responsive to the imaging system, the processor-based evaluationsystem configured to identify a difference in assessed emissivity fromthe substrate under test based on observing and evaluating emissivity ofthe substrate under test at at least two test temperatures that eachdiffer relative to a background temperature; wherein the processorgenerates an output in the event that the difference in emissivityexceeds a predetermined threshold, the output indicating the presence ofat an anomaly in or on the substrate.

Advantageously, the embodiments of the present invention provide adetection system and technique that makes use of naturally occurringelectromagnetic radiative illumination in the band from about thirtygigahertz (30 GHz) to about 30 THz to reliably detect deformations,penetrations, porosity, fractures, cracks, corrosion, disbands anddelamination of a substrate under protective coating and/or layer ofinsulation. Moreover, the system of the present invention does notrequire a high degree of accuracy in detector or sample alignment, withthis providing a two-fold benefit: i) CUI or CUP or CUC of a sample canbe rapidly assessed; and ii) a large area can be investigated andassessed in a relatively short period of time. Since the detector systemdoes not require high precision placement, the cost of the detectorsystem is also modest.

Incoherent millimetre wave, sub-millimetre wave and terahertz testsignals are used to probe metal substrates that are covered by aprotective coating or outer layer, such as paint or thermal insulation,obscuring direct assessment of the substrate. The incoherent testsignals, which may be from a naturally occurring passive source (such asthe sky) and/or from an active noise source, provide signal dispersionand angular variation of the test signals with respect to angularincidence to the substrate. Illumination of the substrate permitsdifferentiation between un-corroded and corroded sections of the samplebecause reflectivity (and emissivity) from a metal-based substrate isheavily dependent on the surface resistivity which in turn is dependenton the corroded state. A detector/camera is arranged to pick upreflections from the substrate and an associated control systemidentifies regions of the sample that reflect the test signalillumination differently or otherwise indicate a variation from areference value. The differences therefore signify the presence or lackof corrosion or, indeed, the presence of other abnormalities within oron the substrate.

Naturally occurring passive, incoherent and dispersed millimetre wave,sub-millimetre wave and terahertz illumination of the substrate underinvestigation permits differentiation between un-corroded and corrodedsections of the sample. The detection system supports non-destructivetesting and, in fact, in situ (non-disassembly) testing.

The various embodiments provide a system that has the ability to observethe sample directly from a distance without having to be rigidlyattached to a reference frame; this freedom offers considerable benefitfrom the practical implementation in a real world scenario. The use of apassive extended source that provides a wide angle illuminationrepresents a significant improvement over the prior art, particularlyfor viewing non-flat surfaces such as pipes or upright tubes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be describedwith reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a typical pipework, including a layer of insulation;

FIG. 2 is a representation of a detection methodology according to apreferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a representation of a detection methodology according to analternate embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates the detection limitations of a coherent sourcerelative to a spherical or cylindrical test substrate;

FIG. 5 is a representation of a preferred detection methodology showingthe effects of using an incoherent, extended omni-directional terahertzsource;

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of a preferred detection system foridentifying corrosion under insulation; and

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment for an active source of the CUI or CUP or CUCdetection system of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a representation of an optical transmission path in apreferred receiver of a corrosion evaluation system;

FIG. 9 illustrates the origin of radiometric components that contributein a signal viewed by the corrosion evaluation system of, for example,FIG. 6;

FIGS. 10 and 11 show a corrosion detection system of an embodiment ofthe invention that makes use of emissivity in evaluating the presence ofcorrosion under a layer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows a typical pipework system 10. A pipe 12 is made of asubstrate that is subject to some form of corrosion 14, such as rustingin the case of an iron-based pipe. The pipe 12 may carry, within itsinterior 13, any number of materials (including oil or other chemicals)and may be internally lined or its substrate externally coated with aprotective coating, such as a paint, or otherwise protected by anexternal insulating layer 16. In the latter respect, the layer 16 may bea thermal lagging which is secured in placed around the pipe of anexternal jacket 18. The insulating layer 16 may, in fact, be realised bytwo hemispheres (16 a, 16 b) which are clamped together by the externaljacket 18 in combination with some form of locking mechanism 20 thatacts through the external jacket 18. The skilled artisan will understoodthe arrangement of the pipework system 10 and how the insulating layer16 is held in place about or otherwise applied (in the sense of beingadhered to) the pipe 12.

The insulating layer 16, which may be a sprayed solution or may includea sprayed coating offering corrosion resistance, is transparent betweenmillimetre and micron wavelengths. Typical materials for the layer(whether insulating and/or protective) include Kevlar-carbon fibrecomposites and plastics.

FIG. 2 is a representation of a detection methodology according to apreferred embodiment of the present invention. The inventors haverecognised that background electromagnetic radiation in frequency selectbands from the sky (such as in the millimetre, sub-millimetre andparticularly wavelengths in the terahertz range) provide a wide-anglesource that, when falling incident on metal, provides illumination ofthe surface that, upon detection by a suitably wavelength sensitivedetector, permits reflectivity from adjacent surface areas of metal tobe contrasted. In fact, most non-metallic materials in the millimetre,sub-millimetre and terahertz regions are not fully opaque, but ratherhave some level of transparency. A non-metallic material's transparencywill vary according to its thickness and its dielectric loss tangentwhich will in turn depend heavily on its structural integrity, purityand water content Millimetre, sub-millimetre and micron wavelengths arethus capable of penetrating insulation and, consequently, can illuminatemetal beneath the insulation. For example, a wavelength of 1.199 mm(nominally 250 GHz) can provide reasonable illumination (and processedimaging) of a metallic surface under a layer of protective paint,although better resolution is achieved with wavelengths of about 0.300mm (nominally 1 THz), with these higher frequencies still capable ofpenetration of surrounding insulation and higher surface reflection.Indeed, in general, reflectivity contrast is worse at lower frequencies.It is noted that penetration is worse for higher frequencies, althoughthe contrast in reflectivity of the substrate is higher at higherfrequencies.

This 30 GHz to 30 THz range within the electromagnetic spectrumcorresponds to a wavelength range of about ten millimetres to about tenmicrons. Over this range, detector technology with the sensitivityrequired to measure the natural occurring electromagnetic radiativeillumination is commercially available. This range also approximatelycorresponds to useful thickness of composite, insulating and protectivesubstrates and layers in commercial use in the aero, car, oil, gas,chemical, energy, building (including infrastructure) and shippingindustries. The techniques and evaluation systems of the preferredembodiments can therefore, for example, look for damage to aircraftwings and the inspect paint layers for quality and depth. The system canbe employed to evaluate hulls of ships (both inside and outside),decking and flooring, such as around toilets. Storage tanks, pressurevessels and tanker piping can be evaluated for structural changes, ascan other piping and gantries used on oil platforms, chemical plants anddrilling rigs. The invention therefore has wide applicable in evaluationsystems to infrastructure in general, including support cables andbridges.

It has now been appreciated that the natural illumination of the samplewill occur in an outdoor environment due to the source environment beingat a different temperature to the sample environment. The sky 30, forexample, is extremely cold due to the cold cosmic background of outerspace being visible through the Earth's atmosphere. The environs aroundthe sample are likely to be relatively hot with respect to the sky, withthis temperature differential providing good passive illuminationconditions.

Since the substrate under investigation can be considered to begenerally homogenous, contrasts in reflectivity allow differentiationof, and therefore identification of, areas of corrosion (ormalformation) relative to areas having higher substrate integrity. Inother words, the inventors have recognized that an active illuminationof a substrate with a broadband noise source 35 (such as from thesky/outer-space 30 at wavelengths of up to about 10 microns and a sourcetemperature at seventy-three Kelvin) provides wavelength scattering ontoa substrate surface 34, with emissivity/reflectivity 36 from thesubstrate surface 34 (at nominal room temperature of 293K) detectable bya suitable camera/detector 32. More specifically, by using the naturallyoccurring, wide-angle illumination in the aforementioned bands of theelectromagnetic spectrum, it is possible to image the sample area usinga passive ‘receive only’ camera, such as those now readily available.The nature of the selected source negates the need for thecamera/detector 32 to be held at a specific distance or orientationrelative to the sample. Furthermore, because the reflectivity of allmetals is heavily dependent on the surface resistivity which in turn isdependent on the corroded state, the technique of the preferredembodiment can be used to identify regions of the sample that reflectthe illumination differently, thereby signifying the presence or lack ofcorrosion (or other abnormalities, as mentioned herein) in or on thesubstrate.

More particularly, the sample illumination principle of the preferredembodiment in the context of an outdoor environment results in the coldsignal from the sky being reflected from the surface of the underlyingmetal, through the paint which is transparent at these wavelengths, andinto the passive receive only imaging camera. Corroded areas beneath thepaint reflect the cold sky signal less strongly due to the highersurface resistivity associated with corroded metal. Corroded areas inthis instance shows up as being warmer than the un-corroded area. Thestrength of the difference in signals gives an indication as to thelevel of corrosion. The sky therefore provides a cold noise source.

In terms of the camera/detector 32, one might use a typical capture rateof ten frames per second or lower, subject to the number of detectors(whether based on a raster arrangement or rotating optics) availablewithin the camera system. The camera optics may therefore includescanning and focusing mirrors; these configuration will be discussedbelow. Camera positioning is typically about thirty centimetres abovethe source, although position will depend on the signal strength,optical resolution and size of expected defect. Typically, sample areaassessment will cover about 100 cm² to 1000 cm² and will occur over arange of about one second to five seconds. Camera operation is a designchoice and relates to speed and resolution, as will be understood.

The camera may be linked to a display that provides an image orrepresentation of the substrate's physical integrity, homogeneity and/orstate of corrosion. The camera, and particularly its control processor,may be configured to provide a numeric report of the samplecross-referenced to the location of the sample relative to a knownreference point.

In FIG. 2, the sky provides a wide-angled illumination from a passivesource of millimetre and sub-millimetre wavelengths and terahertzfrequencies. In contrast, FIG. 3 is a representation of a detectionmethodology according to an alternate embodiment of the presentinvention, with the source of incoherent wide-angled millimetre andsub-millimetre wavelengths and terahertz frequencies provided from alocal, extended source 40 nominally operating at about 473K (e.g. theextended source 40 is an infra-red source that is also highly emissivein the millimetre and sub-millimetre wavelengths and terahertzfrequencies; such sources are readily known). The arrangement of FIG. 3therefore compensates for natural environmental conditions that are notideal for assessment, e.g. when dense cloud may weaken the signal fromthe cold sky or when the sample being investigated is indoors. For theseconditions, active illumination can be achieved using an extended blackbody that either replaces or augments the passive signal originatingfrom the sky. With respect to the nature of the black body extendedsource, this can be selected to be either hotter or colder that ambientconditions, but a substantially temperature difference relative toambient should exist in the vicinity to the sample. For example, a blackbody having a temperature in the range of about 450 k to about 550Kprovides a temperature differential relative to ambient of between about130 k to about 250 k. The black body extended source thus represents abroadband noise source arranged to provide scattering. The configurationof an extended black body in accordance with the embodiments of thepresent invention is readily known to the skilled addressee.

For detection of a reflectivity from the sky as the cold passive source,it is noted that a reflector may be used to image the sky onto the testsurface. The reflector is therefore has an adjustable inclination.Furthermore, in terms of detector operation for a passive cold sky, thedetector 32 takes into account that the atmosphere must be transparentand, consequently, the detector operates in frequency bands (i.e.atmospheric windows) that are transparent with regard to atmosphericwater and atmospheric oxygen. A preferred embodiment for the detectorusing the sky therefore looks to reflectivity responses especially inoptimized frequency bands (i) between about 30 GHz and about 60 GHz,(ii) between about 65 GHz and about 100 GHz, (iii) between about 120 GHzand about 157 GHz, (iv) between about 160 GHz and about 181 GHz, (v)between about 185 GHz and about 270 GHz and (vi) between about 320 GHzand about 360 GHz. Reflectivity evaluation from the sky as a cold sourcedoes not occur above 500 GHz. Operating at different frequencies usingthe sky as a passive cold source can occur with increasing altitudesince the attenuating effect of atmospheric water and atmospheric oxygenis reduced.

In FIG. 4 a round test sample (such as a cylindrical pipe 12) isilluminated with a coherent directional millimetre, sub-millimetrewavelengths or terahertz frequency source 50. Directionality is providedby a suitable horn or waveguide 52. Provided that the detector's spatialpositioning corresponds to the angle(s) of reflection from the surface,the detector will receive some signal for processing and evaluationtypically controlled by a local processor configured to execute programcode that renders an image or provides a numeric representation (orother indication) of adjacent test areas within the pipe' substrate.However, with cylindrical pipes, the angle of reflection of an incidentelectromagnetic wave is severely altered by the striking position ofthat electromagnetic wave on the pipe; this means that astatically-positioned receiver 52 having a limited receiving angle willnot receive adversely angled reflections (and the flux density ofreflected electromagnetic waves therefore relatively low). Expressingthis differently, when the source and detector are positionedsymmetrically on the central axis of a cylinder, a coherent narrowsource achieves a significant reflected flux density of reflected wavesinto the receiver, but once the source and detector lie off the centralaxis then the signal emitted by the directional is reflected by thecylinder to miss the detector.

The prior art solutions in Alfano '728 and QinetiQ '946 work on thepremise of FIG. 4 since they make use of highly-controlled,position-orientated systems because they make use of a localdirectionally-targeted source and a receiver positioned to receive anyreflection. Specifically, as will now be understood, Alfano '728 andQinetiQ '946 rely on “along axis”, line-of-sight or orthogonalillumination from a highly directional source, with this introducingproblems from specular reflection from the surface and requiring theapparatus or the sample to be repositioned at each measurement point.Quite simply, the prior art evaluation systems fail to make use ofnatural millimetre waves, sub-millimetre waves or terahertz frequencysignals either reflected or emitted by the substrate itself or thosesignals emitted from the substrate's surroundings and subsequentlyreflected from the substrates surface.

In contrast, the preferred embodiments of the present invention make useof either a naturally occurring wide-angled source and/or an extendedlocal source, but in both cases these sources are incoherent andnominally omnidirectional (in that emissions from the sources angularlydispersed). As will be understood with reference to FIG. 5, anincoherent, extended omni-directional terahertz source compensates forsurface irregularities by ensuring that the flux density 54 of reflectedelectromagnetic waves is sufficiently high at the camera/detector 32irrespective of the relative strike angle of electromagnetic waves fromthe millimetre, sub-millimetre wavelengths or terahertz frequency sourceto the cylindrical surface of the pipe 12.

The preferred embodiments of the present invention therefore make use ofan appreciation of the penetrating but reflective and emissivecapabilities of a select band of wavelengths in association with thebenefit of wide-angled illumination from an incoherent source.

More particularly, although reflectivity and emissivity signals fromnaturally occurring sources are extremely weak, it has been recognizedby the inventors that they provide a source of valuable informationconcerning substrate homogeneity or substrate integrity. Specifically, apassive source (such as the sky) permits assessment of the emissivity orreflectivity of the substrates surface, or the substrate'stransmissivity of its interior in the case of a composite or use of anyprotective or insulating layer. Indeed, continuous metal substrates andmaterials are fully opaque, although their surface reflectivity in themillimetre, sub-millimetre and terahertz regions will depend highly onits surface resistivity and/or any coating or corrosion layer.

In fact, embodiments of the present invention may make use of both apassive wide-angled source and an active wide-angled millimetre,sub-millimetre wavelengths or terahertz frequency source. Using apassive source, reflectivity from a substrate's surface can bedetermined and contrasted against a known reference reflectivity valuefor nominally the same homogeneous substrate in acceptable (andpreferably perfect) condition. Any variation in reflectivity between themeasured value and the reference value therefore provides an indicationof substrate degradation, e.g. rusting or pitting and other structuraldefects (as outlined herein). Rusting or other structural anomalies willtherefore see a relative decrease is reflectivity. The reference valuecan be determined from empirical testing of a new, pristine substrate atthe point of installation/manufacture or otherwise from acceptedinternational standards.

In the event that the passive, wide-angled incoherent source issubstituted for an active wide-angled incoherent noise source,detectable reflectivity in the millimetre, sub-millimetre and terahertzfrequencies spectrum swamps other local measureable effects (such asemissivity) associated with the test substrate. Consequently, save formagnitude in the detected signal, the same area of the substrate shouldhave an identical (or near identical) reflectivity profile under bothactive and passive illumination. In the event that there is a noticeablevariation—which can be determined by comparison of data points using acomputer program or by visual inspection of a plot on a display orprintout—between profiles for the area of substrate, then the variationinfers a change in transmissivity of the surrounding insulation (whethera protective paint or thermal protective barrier) and thereforeidentifies a fault requiring remedial action or additional monitoring.Furthermore, the system may be configured to evaluate a change intransmissivity based on expected or reference values for the protectivelayer or coating that supposedly protects or shields the surface area ofthe substrate that is under reflectivity evaluation. In other words, aleak of water or other fluid into the surrounding protective layer orcoating that covers the substrate brings about a detectable change intransmissivity characteristics in the protective layer or coating asreflected by changing spectral profiles in the millimetre,sub-millimetre and terahertz frequencies spectrum under active andpassive illumination conditions. In other words, the contrast betweenactive and passive reflectivity profiles infers a change intransmissivity when the two reflectivity profiles differ for the samearea under active and passive incoherent wide-angled illumination. Thesystem's software may appreciate a meaningful difference based onexceeding of a threshold value summed across the selected commonspectrum used for reflectivity in both the active and passive testphases, or it may be based on an absolute number.

The trigger and method that are selected from assessing a meaningfulchange that potentially infers corruption or contamination of the layeror coating will be readily appreciated by the skilled artisan.

The detection and evaluation system of the present invention istherefore configured to identify the change or suspected change inhomogeneity (such as determined by contrasting of spectal profiles forreflectivity measurements observed under passive and active incoherent,wide-angled terahertz illumination environments) by generating a sensorywarning or output. Typically, the detection and evaluation system isrealized in software (executed by a control processor) and is thereforeresponsive to spectral data captured and imaged by the camera/detector32 of, for example, FIG. 5. The camera/detector are part of a processorcontrolled imaging system that is configured to evaluate spectralresponses across the 30 GHz to 30 THz band, although specific andrelatively narrow frequencies windows may be selected within thisrelatively broad band (such as described under passive cold illuminationby the sky).

In summary, by measuring a non-metallic coating's apparent transmissionproperties (“transmissivity”), any material variation, structural defector impurity ingress in the coating (or applied layer, as the case maybe) will produce a signal contrast that can be resolved and flagged forattention. For example, the contrast may be viewed as a spike on adisplay, which spike arises because the output from the camera/detector32 produces a higher voltage at a first point of substrate inspectionrelative to a second point of substrate inspection.

With respect to passive detection, it has furthermore been appreciatedthat reflectivity is not the only contributing component in the detectedsignal profile within the millimetre, sub-millimetre and micronspectrum; emissivity is also a factor. An evaluation of emissivity froma surface in the millimetre, sub-millimetre and micron spectrum is alsocontemplated in operating methodologies of the present invention, whichevaluation process is particularly applicable to the corrosionassessment in substrates covered by a layer or coating. Thecamera/detector 32, however, observes a total power signal in themillimetre, sub-millimetre and micron waveband because passivereflectivity and emissivity cannot be resolved directly from a singleassessment of an area of a substrate.

For a substrate that is covered by a coating or protective layer,emissivity evaluation will always require a temperature differentialbetween the test substrate's surface and its surroundings.

The reflectivity and emissivity components in the observed 30 GHz to 30THz spectrum can be differentiated by introducing a thermal differencefor the substrate between two separate measurements. So, for the exampleof a pipe behind insulation, the pipe could be first imaged with coolliquid running through it and then imaged with hot liquid runningthrough it. The metal pipe would reach thermal equilibrium quickly dueto the conduction of heat through metal, whereas the surroundinginsulation would reach thermal equilibrium much more slowly due to theconvection processes. The level of contrast enhancement seen shortlyafter the thermal differential is established would therefore give anindication that it is the surface of the substrate that has corrosion asopposed to the insulation having a contaminant with decreasedtransmissivity.

A minimum temperature differential may be in the region of about onedegree Centigrade, although thermal differences may be tens andpreferably many tens if not hundreds of degrees. More specifically, thecamera/detection 32 and particularly the related control software isconfigured to contrast substrate areas over time to allow for relativetemperature variations between the substrate under test and itssurroundings to be assessed. Particularly, it is noted that higheremissivity is observed in the presence of surface defects, such asrusting. The emissive source, in this respect, may be the substrateitself given that the substrate may represent a physical barrier (suchas a pipe) between an outside coating at a first temperature on anoutside of the substrate and a fluid at a different and in contact withan inner surface of the substrate.

From the perspective of assessing emissivity, an external source thathas an opposite temperature signature will enhance contrast. Forexample, a hot pipe in a cold natural passive background will have ahigher contrast than a cold pipe in a cold background. This is becausethe emissive defect will emit more hot signal and reflect less coldsignal than the higher reflectivity of any un-corroded region. The samewould be true for a cold pipe in a hot background. For materials atelevated temperature the relative emissivity of the material cantherefore be used to provide a spectral contrast that is indicative ofthe presence of a local impurity or else a structural change in thesubstrate.

This undesirable specular reflection issue experienced with prior artsystems is addressed because the thermal source of the preferredembodiments is extended in area and generally (if not completely)omni-directional or random in terms of the origin and direction fromwhich the signal (from, e.g. the sub-millimetre source) is emittedtowards the sample under investigation. Consequently, the curvature ofthe sample does not prevent reflected waves from entering the cameraaperture, irrespective of the camera/detectors position above thesample. Indeed, the wide angled source means that a significantproportion of the cylinder can be viewed simultaneously by the camera;this dramatically increases speed of assessment whilst reducing cost andimproving the suitability for in situ measurements in a typicalindustrial environment.

The random scattering from the extended incoherent source 40 mitigatesspecular reflection through averaging. Indeed, the inventors haveappreciated that wide angled illumination therefore eliminates falsetriggering by increasing flux density in reflections falling incident onthe detector array in the receiver.

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of another preferred detectionsystem for identifying corrosion under insulation (CUI), with theconfiguration particularly appropriate in limited space environmentwhere access to the sample is restricted. In FIG. 6, it is noted thatthe camera/detector 32 (including associated control electronics) islocated behind an aperture 60 in an incoherent extended source 40 thatprovides a wide angle illumination from randomly scatteredelectromagnetic waves at millimetre and sub-millimetre wavelengths orlow terahertz frequencies. In FIG. 6, the camera/detector looks througha hole in the extended source allowing both to be positioned along thecamera's bore-sight.

Furthermore, for some applications, the extended source of FIGS. 3, 5and 6 may have a surface that is curved around a radius, therebyincreasing the sample area that can be viewed simultaneously.

The nature of the source as employed in the various embodiments of thepresent invention provides a significant advantage over the prior art,especially when viewing non-flat surfaces such as pipes or uprighttubes.

Passive and active illumination is therefore supported by the preferredsystem of the present invention, with a change in operating modeselectable by energization (or not) of the local active, incoherentwide-angled source.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment for an active source of the CUI detectionsystem of FIG. 6. In FIG. 6, the camera/detector 32 is located behind anaperture formed in an extended heater element 70 coupled to a powersupply 72. The heater is located at the rear of a housing 74 that has anaperture 76 through which emissions from the heater's surface 77 canpropagate. At least one feed horn, and typically multiple feed horns 78,80, are held in an array that physically spaces the feed horn(s) fromthe heater's surface. Each feed horn 78, 80 is coupled to a noise source82 that provides signals having millimetre or sub-millimetre wavelengthsor low terahertz frequencies. Electromagnetic radiation emanating fromthe feedhorns 78, 80 is therefore directed on the heater's surface 77and randomly reflected from that surface in the direction of theaperture 76 and therefore towards the sample, such as a pipe 12, underinvestigation. The heater 70 therefore provides energy to the random andactive noise environment created from the feedhorns 78, 80 within thehousing 74. As an alternative configuration, the noise source could belocated behind the heater element 70 such that test signals in themillimetre, sub-millimetre or micron wavelengths are fired through theheater element.

FIG. 8 is a representation of an optical transmission path in apreferred receiver of a corrosion evaluation system. FIG. 8 shows asample under investigation, which sample includes a substrate 100 and aninsulating or protective layer 16, such as lagging or paint. Thesubstrate 100 includes areas 104 of pristine metal or metal composite,and spots of corrosion or structural defects 14. An incomingelectromagnetic wave 102 in the millimetre or sub-millimetre wavelengths(or a terahertz frequency below about 30 THz) is reflected from thesubstrate, with these reflections 106, 108 reflected from a mirror andpreferably a motor-controlled scanning mirror 110. The optional motorand associated drive 112, coupled to any scanning mirror 110, providestilt and pitch control. Complementary collimating mirrors 114 redirectreflected electromagnetic waves 116 from the scanning mirror (or itsstationary equivalent) and act to focus the reflected electromagneticwaves 116 towards sensors, such as a thermocouple 120 and an appropriatemillimetre or sub-millimetre wavelength (or terahertz frequency)detector 122. The arrangement of FIG. 7 therefore allows multiplecharacteristic assessments of a sample under investigation to beconducted simultaneously. For example, higher confidence in identifyingCUI or CUP can be obtained by using analysis of complementary bands,such as an infra-red spike that identifies a hot spot on a substrate andwhere the same area having the hot spot shows a variance in resistivityaway from an expected value or spectral profile. Alternatively somecoatings are also partly transparent in the infrared region of theelectromagnetic spectrum and so anomalous features seen in the infraredwhich could be due to surface structure or variations in thickness andnot corrosion could then be directly attributed to corrosion if they arealso present in the millimetre, sub-millimetre wavelength and terahertzfrequency bands increasing confidence.

From a practical perspective, a radiometer using a heterodyne mixer orlow noise amplifier can be the basis for a detection device in thegigahertz spectrum. At higher frequencies, a quantum cascade laser couldbe used as a noise source, with detection (or imaging) achieved using aquantum well detector and/or a Schottky detector. Detection devicescapable of working in the millimetre wavelength to multi-terahertzspectrum are known, such as outlined in the article: “CMOS DETECTORS:Terahertz imaging achieved with low-cost CMOS detectors” in Laser FocusWorld(http://www.laserfocusworld.com/articles/2011/07/cmos-detectors-terahertz-imaging-achieved-with-low-cost-cmos-detectors.html).

FIG. 9 illustrates the origin of the radiometric components thatcontribute in a signal viewed by the corrosion evaluation system of, forexample, FIG. 6. When observing an object, such as a substrate of apipe, a passive millimetre wave, sub-millimetre wave or terahertzfrequency radiometer cannot distinguish the actual physical temperatureof that object. It can only determine the effective temperature (“Teff”)of the object. FIG. 9 shows the relationship between:

i) the measured T_(eff);

ii) the object's physical temperature T_(o);

iii) the environment's temperature T_(e);

iv) the temperature of the background behind the objects T_(b);

v) the objects transmisivity t;

vi) the object's emissivity ∈; and

vii) the object's reflectivity ρ.

The effective temperature T_(eff) is expressed mathematically as:

T _(eff) =∈T _(o) +ρT _(e) +tT _(b)

The sensor (with the detector 32) of the various embodiments is arrangedto directly measure Teff and, so provided the physical temperature ofthe environment, the object or the background doesn't vary or isseparately monitored, any variation in Teff will indicate either achange in the substrates reflectivity or emissivity or any intermediarylayers transmissivity. Any or all of these parameters (singly orpreferably in a combination of at least two) can be used to indicate thepresence of a defect in the covering layer or surface corrosion of theunderlying metal. Indeed, these measureable parameters can be remotelymonitored without any careful instrument alignment, whilst any elevationin temperature of the substrate against the environment or backgroundcan enhance the contrast due to the presence of an increased signal.Similarly, for composite materials, the internal structure can beinvestigated by looking through the sample at a target positioned in thebackground that is held at either an elevated or depressed temperature.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show a corrosion detection system of an embodiment ofthe invention that makes use of emissivity in evaluating the presence ofcorrosion under a layer.

In FIG. 9, a pipe 12 acts as a conduit for hot fluid or hot liquid 80.The pipe 12 is encased in insulation 16 and this, in turn, is held inplace by a metal jacket 18. The metal jacket is opaque and thereforeimpervious to direct inspection with millimetre, sub-millimetre ofmicron test signals (irrespective of whether delivered by a passive oractive source). However, the metal jacket can be cracked open to permitthe detector to evaluate emissivity from the surface of the pipe underhot and cold transfer conditions. The metal jacket acts to reflectelectromagnetic waves 81 (in the millimetre, sub-millimetre of micronrange) towards a receiving cone 82 of the receiver/detector. Sinceemissivity increases—the relative width of the arrows in FIG. 9 reflectsrelative magnitude—with the presence of corrosion, a voltage spike 86 inan output 88 from the detector (when plotted against position of thedetector with respect to the length of the pipe 12) is observed whensuch structural anomalies, e.g. surface corrosion, are present. Theprecise circumferential position of any surface anomaly cannot beresolved since reflections from internal surfaces of the metal jacket 18cannot be individually resolved from the perspective of their individualpoints of origin. However, by running the detector along the length pipe(as represented in FIG.10), variations in emissivity are revealed in asuitable parameter plot against position.

Unless specific arrangements are mutually exclusive with one another,the various embodiments described herein can be combined to enhancesystem functionality and/or to produce complementary functions in theeffective assessment and detection of corrosion under insulation (“CUI”)or corrosion under paint (“CUP”) or corrosion under coating (“CUC”).Such combinations will be readily appreciated by the skilled addresseegiven the totality of the foregoing description. Likewise, aspects ofthe preferred embodiments may be implemented in standalone arrangementswhere more limited functional arrangements are appropriate. Indeed, itwill be understood that unless features in the particular preferredembodiments are expressly identified as incompatible with one another orthe surrounding context implies that they are mutually exclusive and notreadily combinable in a complementary and/or supportive sense, thetotality of this disclosure contemplates and envisions that specificfeatures of those complementary embodiments can be selectively combinedto provide one or more comprehensive, but slightly different, technicalsolutions. For example, the use of emissivity to evaluate structuralanomalies in pipework carrying fluid (and particularly heated fluid) canbe implemented independently of an evaluation system making use ofreflectivity to identify structural variance that potentially requiresfurther investigation or repair.

Unless the context otherwise requires a more limited interpretation, theterms CIC, CUC and CUI should be considered to be identical in that eachcontains a substrate covered by a protective coating or layer.Generally, as will be understood, the shape of any such layer or theform of its application to the substrate is not deterministic withrespect to operation of the corrosion or anomaly detection system of thevarious embodiments of the present invention.

It will, of course, be appreciated that the above description has beengiven by way of example only and that modifications in detail may bemade within the scope of the present invention. In the context of thisdescription, the term “substrate” will be understood to relate to anysubstrate that reflects millimetre, sub-millimetre of terahertzelectromagnetic waves at a level suitable for detection by a camera,with the term “substrate” taking into consideration both generally flator curved surfaces. The terms “corrosion”, “anomalies” and “abnormality”shall be understood to be interchangeable and include manufacturingdefects or changes in structure that have been brought about by erosionor corrosion, with each of these terms viewed broadly unless thespecific context requires a more limited interpretation. Structuralanomalies may therefore relate to imperfections (including cracks andfractures, penetrations, porosity variations, corrosion, disbanding anddelamination) in or on substrates located between paint and/or otherforms of insulation or covering.

The imaging system of the various embodiments is generally processorbased in that data is processed for presentation to the operator byaudible or visual display. It will be understood that the imaging systemcould, however, just provide an optical output (without dataprocessing), which arrangement would then require operatorinterpretation albeit that the imaging system is responsive to operationof a microcontroller or the like.

The present invention therefore supports in-field testing of pipenetworks for preventive maintenance, but equally the detection systemcan be employed as a final quality control process at a manufacturingfacility.

1. A method of detecting the presence of anomalies in or on a substratecovered by a protective coating or layer, the method comprising:observing reflectivity from an area of interest under investigation onthe substrate, said reflectivity being in the frequency range of betweenabout 30 GHz and up to about 500 GHz, said reflectivity arising fromincident electromagnetic waves falling incident on the area of interestand wherein the incident electromagnetic waves are produced from anextended source that is wider than the area of interest and whichextended source illuminates the area of interest from a wide angle witha first incoherent source; identifying the presence of anomalies in thesubstrate by at least one of: contrasting observed reflectivity inadjacent areas of the substrate; and contrasting observed reflectivityof an area of the substrate under test against a reference reflectivityvalue anticipated for the area of the substrate under test.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the first incoherent source is a passivesource and the method further comprises: observing reflectivity from thesubstrate in the frequency range of between about 30 GHz and up to about500 GHz, said observed reflectivity arising from incidentelectromagnetic waves produced from an extended incoherent active sourcethat is different to the first incoherent passive source, wherein theextended incoherent active source is wider than the area of interest andthe incident electromagnetic waves from the extended incoherent activesource illuminate the area of interest from a wide angle; andidentifying the presence of anomalies in the substrate by contrastingspectral reflectivity profiles observed from the passive source and theactive source.
 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising: assessingstructural integrity of a layer on, or coating covering, the substrateby evaluating transmissivity through the layer or coating, theevaluation contrasting differences in the spectral reflectivity profilesobserved using the passive source and the active source; and generatingan output in the event that the transmissivity between the observedspectral reflectivity profiles from the passive source and the activesource exceeds a threshold.
 4. The method of claim 2, furthercomprising: determining emissivity from the substrate at two differenttemperatures to assess whether a change in emissivity has occurredbetween the two different temperatures; and generating an output in theevent that the change in emissivity exceeds a predetermined threshold,the output indicating the presence of at an anomaly in or on thesubstrate.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the source at a temperaturedifferential to the substrate, the temperature differential being atleast one hundred Kelvin.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the firstincoherent source is a passive source and the observed reflectivity iswithin at least one of frequency band in which atmospheric water andatmospheric oxygen are transparent to electromagnetic waves having afrequency in the range of between about 30 GHz and up to about 500 GHz.7. A corrosion detection system for identifying corrosion under a layeror coating, the corrosion detection system comprising: an imaging systemincluding a detector configured to detect, in use, reflectivity from anarea of interest in a substrate under test, said detector configured todetect frequencies in the range of between about 30 GHz and up to about500 GHz, said reflectivity arising from illumination of the substrate byan extended incoherent source of electromagnetic waves, the extendedincoherent source being wider than the area of interest and therebyarranged to illuminate the area of interest from a wide angle; and aprocessor-based evaluation system responsive to the imaging system, theprocessor based evaluation system configured to present an indication ofa difference in detected reflectivity between at least one of:reflectivity evaluated from a plurality of different areas of thesubstrate, whereby differences in reflectivity indicate corrosion; andobserved reflectivity of an area of the substrate under test against areference reflectivity value anticipated for the area of the substrateunder test, whereby the difference in observed reflectivity relative tothe reference reflectivity indicates corrosion.
 8. The corrosiondetection system of claim 7, wherein the imaging system is configured toobserve reflectivity within at least one of frequency band in whichatmospheric water and atmospheric oxygen are transparent toelectromagnetic waves having a frequency in the range of between about30 GHz and up to about 500 GHz:
 9. A detection system identifyingstructural anomalies in a substrate covered by a layer or coating, thedetection system comprising: an imaging system including a detectorconfigured to receive and detect, in use, reflectivity from an area ofinvestigation on a substrate under test, said detector configured todetect frequencies in the range of between about 30 GHz and up to about500 GHz, said reflectivity arising from illumination of the substrate byan extended incoherent source of electromagnetic waves that illuminatesthe area of investigation from a wide angle, the detector configured toobserve reflectivity within at least one frequency band in whichatmospheric water and atmospheric oxygen are transparent toelectromagnetic waves having a frequency in the range of between about30 GHz and up to about 500 GHz; and a processor-based evaluation systemresponsive to the imaging system, the processor based evaluation systemconfigured to present an indication of a difference in detectedreflectivity between at least one of: reflectivity evaluated from aplurality of different areas of the substrate, whereby the difference inreflectivity indicates an anomaly; and observed reflectivity of an areaof the substrate under test against a reference reflectivity valueanticipated for the area of the substrate under test, whereby thedifference in observed reflectivity relative to the referencereflectivity indicates an anomaly.
 10. The detection system according toclaim 9, further comprising: an active incoherent and extended noisesource providing, in use, selective illumination of the area underinvestigation on the substrate from a wide angle, the active incoherentand extended noise source generating frequencies in the range of betweenabout 30 GHz and up to about 500 GHz.
 11. The detection system accordingto claim 10, wherein the processor-based evaluation system is configuredto: contrast relative levels of reflectivity from the substrate asproduced by said active incoherent noise source and said passive source;and generate an indication of the presence of an anomaly in thesubstrate in the event that the contrast of measureable parameters forevaluated reflectivity under the active and passive sources yields adifference that exceeds a predetermined threshold.
 12. The detectionsystem according to claim 10, wherein the processor-based evaluationsystem is further configured to provide an indication of confidence instructural integrity of a layer on, or coating covering, the area underinvestigation on the substrate under test, the indication based onevaluating transmissivity through the layer or coating, the evaluationcontrasting differences in the spectral reflectivity profiles observedusing the passive source and the active source.
 13. A detection systemidentifying structural anomalies in a substrate covered by a layer orcoating, the detection system comprising: an imaging system including adetector configured to receive and detect, in use, electromagneticfrequencies emanating from an areas of a substrate under test, saiddetector configured to observe electromagnetic frequencies within arange between about 30 GHz and 500 GHz; and a processor-based evaluationsystem responsive to the imaging system, the processor-based evaluationsystem configured to identify a difference in assessed emissivity fromthe substrate under test based on observing and evaluating emissivity ofthe substrate under test at least at two test temperatures that eachdiffer relative to a background temperature; wherein the processorgenerates an output in the event that the difference in emissivityexceeds a predetermined threshold, the output indicating the presence ofat an anomaly in or on the substrate.